Elizabeth Reid Murray

June 10, 1925 - March 13, 2014

Obituary

Elizabeth Davis Reid Murray, who died March 13, 2014, at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community, Raleigh, was born Mary Elizabeth Davis in Wadesboro, NC, on June 10, 1925, to James M. Davis, MD, and Mary Kennedy Little Davis. A 1946 Meredith College graduate, her earliest career positions included continuity writer for Radio Station WPTF, Raleigh, and then program manager for WADE Radio, Wadesboro, NC. Her first husband was WPTF radio presenter and former mayor of Raleigh James W. (Jim) Reid, originally of Asheville. Jim Reid died in 1972. She married Dr. Raymond L. Murray of the Nuclear Engineering Department of North Carolina State...

Elizabeth Davis Reid Murray, who died March 13, 2014, at Springmoor Life Care Retirement Community, Raleigh, was born Mary Elizabeth Davis in Wadesboro, NC, on June 10, 1925, to James M. Davis, MD, and Mary Kennedy Little Davis. A 1946 Meredith College graduate, her earliest career positions included continuity writer for Radio Station WPTF, Raleigh, and then program manager for WADE Radio, Wadesboro, NC. Her first husband was WPTF radio presenter and former mayor of Raleigh James W. (Jim) Reid, originally of Asheville. Jim Reid died in 1972. She married Dr. Raymond L. Murray of the Nuclear Engineering Department of North Carolina State University in 1979. Dr. Murray died in 2011.

Other career positions included Director, Meredith College News Bureau; editor, women's section, Raleigh News and Observer; Executive Secretary, Governor's Coordinating Committee on Aging for NC; research assistant to Dr. Clarence Poe; teacher, local history courses for Wake County Public Schools and Wake Technical College; local history correspondent, Raleigh Times, News and Observer, Raleigh Spectator, and Raleigh Magazine; member, Raleigh City Council (1973).

Her major published works are WAKE: Capital County of NC, vol. 1 (1983); WAKE: Capital County of NC, vol. 2 (2008), with co-author K. Todd Johnson; and From Raleigh's Past (1965). Other published works include: editor and compiler, North Carolina's Older Population: Opportunities and Challenges (1960); contributor, Windows of the Way (1964); editor, Wake County Historical Society newsletter, 1965-1969; editor/photographer, Wake County history filmstrip; guest editor, "Wake County Bicentennial" edition, Raleigh Magazine (1971); contributor to a history of the Raleigh Fire Department; contributor, Dictionary of North Carolina Biography (1979-1996); and contributor, Encyclopedia of North Carolina (2006).Awards: American Association State and Local History for From Raleigh's Past (1965); first Meredith College Distinguished Alumna award (1970); W.P. Peace Award for best book on NC history (1983); Community Service Award, Raleigh Board of Realtors (1983); Wake County Phi Beta Kappa Award (1985); Silver Bowl Award, NC Museum of Art (1987); President's Cup, Wake County Historical Society (1994); Anthemion Award, Capital Area Preservation, Inc. (1994).

The family of Elizabeth Reid Murray are grateful for the many good wishes and condolences they have received. A memorial service will be held at the Springmoor Retirement Community Auditorium in Raleigh on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 at 2:00pm. More information at www.brownwynne.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any of the following:The Springmoor Endowment Fund, 1500 Sawmill Dr. Raleigh, NC 27615, The Olivia Raney Local History Library, 4016 Carya Drive Raleigh, NC 27610, Friends of the Archives, 4614 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-4614